How the Fake Tea Party is like Justin Bieber

OK, I know that's a little bit of a wacky post title, but hang in there with me...

This morning I have another article for you from Res Publica about the Florida Tea Party Fake Tea Party, specifically Victoria Torres, who is running for a state representative district in Pinellas County, even though she lives in Orlando:

SHAM: Who the H*** is TEA Party Candidate Victoria Torres and Why is She Running in My District? | RES PUBLICA

Let's think about this for a little bit.  Florida law requires a candidate for state representative to live in the district, but not until election day.  Anyone want to take any bets about whether Ms. Torres will have a moving truck in her driveway on the first Tuesday of November?   

Also, does anyone actually think that an Orlando resident can be a good representative for people in PInellas County?  Now, I live in Orlando, and I certainly don't have any problem with the St. Pete area, it's very nice and I know a lot of very charming people who live there.  But having made the drive on I-4 to the Gulf Coast several times recently, I can tell you that there is no way in H-E-double hockey sticks that I would want to make that commute on a daily, or even weekly basis.  Yeccchhhh.  I'd love to hear Ms. Torres justify her  candidacy for this seat and actually give an honest answer about how many times she's been to the district in the past year. 

Let's get real.  We all know what's going on here.  Ms. Torres is just part of a larger pattern of these Fake Tea Party candidates.  The Fake Tea Party candidates for state representative are not serious candidates, they are not going to debates, they are making no effort to actually campaign, or even meet voters at all.  

It is my firm belief that they are on the ballot for one reason, and one reason only: to split the conservative vote and help the Democrat win in close races.  Even Fred O'Neal, the Fake Tea Party chair, has made statements to the press that the party was seeking to punish Republican legislators who didn't vote the way they wanted.  

Let's consider a hypothetical legislative district that normally gets a fairly even split between Republican and Democrat votes, with the Republican usually winning 52% to 48%.  In most years, that's a comfortable enough margin, and if the Republican doesn't do anything unethical while in office and works hard on the campaign, the Republican will probably be re-elected without much stress.  But if there is a third party candidate on the ballot who appeals to conservative votes, through legitimate means or trickery, and that third party pulls 3 or 4%, now the Republican's margin of victory is wiped out, and the race could easily go to the Democrat.

I have no problem with people who legitimately and honestly want to start or join a third party.  Viva la First Amendment, y'all.  It's a free country, good for you.  However, with the Fake Tea Party, we have a party that is draping itself in the mantle and insignia of conservative politics and the tea party movement, but lacks any actual conservative heart and soul.  Remember, the party chair is a Democrat, as well as a number of the candidates, and the party's actions seem calculated to help elect more Democrats, not any conservatives.  

And again, I highlight the almost-totally-incognito-where's-Waldo-style of campaigning that most of these candidates are running - if they were truly legitimate candidates with legitimate political goals, they would show up, somewhere.  They would be trying to fundraise and doing their best to get into the public eye.  Look at the temper tantrums that Alex Snitker (Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate) throws every time the media won't let him in the debates with Rubio, Crist, and Meek.  I don't support Snitker but I definitely respect him as a candidate who is working extremely hard, spending a lot of time meeting people, and openly discussing his ideas and priorities. 

Remember, all these Fake Tea Party candidates will show up on the ballot as "Doe, John (TEA)."  The purpose is to look like candidates supported by the popular tea party movement, even though not a single tea party movement organization in Florida supports or endorses this third party effort (in fact, many of them are currently engaged in litigation with the Florida Tea Party over the use of the name, or have received threats of litigation from the Florida Tea Party).

...now to explain the Justin Bieber reference...no, it's not just to improve my Google page ranking, hahaha...

The Florida Tea Party's use of the tea party name is equally as dishonest as if I changed my last name to Bieber, told people Justin Bieber was my cousin, and tried to get money and favors from them.  Sure, I can legally change my name to Bieber, but I have no right to the identity and reputation of Justin Bieber.  LIkewise, the "Florida Tea Party" may argue that they have the legal right to call their party by that name, but they have no right to claim the identity and reputation of the tea party movement.  

Justin Bieber does not endorse this website...or the Florida Tea Party

The way to solve this problem is difficult and easy at the same time.  There are a lot of people to reach, a lot of people who need to be informed, but the information really is simple and easy to explain.  Tell your friends, tell your relatives, tell your neighbors and co-workers: "TEA" on the ballot does not mean "tea party movement."  "TEA" on the ballot is nothing more than a few Democrats and guys who got kicked out of the Republican Party, along with a handful of people that they hand-selected to run against Republicans.

Now you know.  And as every kid who grew up in the 1980s can tell you, knowing is half the battle!

Knowing IS Half the Battle!  GI Joe!  Yeah!